Carson has last laugh in Boro comedy of errors

Two seasons ago, during the second half of the corresponding fixture, a disgruntled Middlesbrough supporter, fed up with his side's lacklustre performance, memorably walked across the pitch towards the dugouts before ripping his season ticket into pieces just feet from then Boro manager Steve McClaren's face. Yesterday you half expected a couple of hundred fans to invade the pitch and make for Martin O'Neill, begging him to do the right thing and rid English football of all its ills.

If there is a common consensus that the Aston Villa manager is the right man for the toughest job in football, no such thing extends to the position of England goalkeeper. Booed throughout by the home fans for his midweek howler against Croatia at Wembley, Scott Carson nevertheless managed to have the last laugh by keeping a clean sheet despite completely miss-hitting a backpass in the opening minute.

Mind you, how Carson must wish he could face Middlesbrough every week. The Teessiders were simply awful, as they have tended to be at home to Villa over recent seasons. O'Neill's team were no great shakes, but they did not have to be against a side devoid of any spark or creativity, who played like doomed men. Much more of this and Gareth Southgate, like his Riverside predecessor McClaren, will be searching for new employment.

'The way we are playing at the moment would test anyone's patience,' admitted the Middlesbrough manager. 'We are where we are because we deserve to be. How we've managed to stay out of the bottom three is beyond me. The players know my feelings. I'm somebody that likes to defend them publicly at all times but on afternoons like today it's very difficult to do that.'

Villa's three goals came in first-half stoppage time and a 14-minute period immediately after the interval. The first saw Gareth Barry cross from the left to John Carew who controlled the ball on his thigh before drilling a low shot past Mark Schwarzer from six yards. The second arrived in the 48th minute when Lee Cattermole skied an attempted clearance straight to Olof Mellberg who allowed the ball to drop before shooting beyond the exposed goalkeeper.

Number three followed shortly afterwards, Gabriel Agbonlahor outmuscling Jonathan Woodgate for possession of a Carson punt upfield before unleashing a powerful drive that beat Schwarzer for pace.

'I'm delighted for him,' said O'Neill afterwards of Carson. 'He was expecting a bit of stick and he certainly got it. He's a young lad. He's very, very disappointed about Wednesday. I think at the moment the whole nation is hurting badly having expected to qualify. They have to vent their anger and frustration at someone and those players who played in the game are going to take a bit of stick.

'[Liverpool's] Steven Gerrard was getting stick from the Newcastle fans,' O'Neill added, 'so Scott knew what he was in for today. But I think he coped brilliantly.'